288 TABOOED ACTS AND CUSTOMS. 



this love of the plural arises from nothing more than their 

 covetous habit of mind, in short, by an apparent paradox, 

 from their love of " Number One." 



But of course some numbers are lucky, especially twelve, 

 a number which appears in many connections. Thus the 

 sovereign has twelve wives ; there are twelve capital crimes, and 

 twelve men who are appointed executioners for such offences ; 

 while in the proclamations twelve royal ancestors are often 

 spoken of, and also the twelve ancient towns in Imerina, or, 

 as they are usually on hills, they are called the " twelve sacred 

 mountains." 



The left hand and side appear to be regarded as more 

 appropriate in circumstances of mourning than the right. 

 Thus, after leaving off mourning for a deceased relation, the 

 youngest son or daughter puts a little grease on the left side 

 of the neck by the little finger of the left hand, a custom 

 known as mitendrilo. 



There are numerous acts and customs which are fcicly or 

 tabooed in different parts of the country. Thus in some 

 villages it is forbidden to enter with burdens carried by 

 one man only ; all must be borne by two men. Then " there 

 is a belief prevalent among the carriers of burdens that if a 

 woman should stride over their poles, the skin of the shoulders 

 of the bearers will certainly peel off the next time of taking 

 up the burden. A cooking-pot may not be used for ladling 

 water out of a stream, or be put into a pool ; an infringement 

 of this is looked upon as a sure precursor of a wet day." 

 Similar weather is expected should a man die on a journey 

 and be buried on the downs where he dies.* 



Of the river fanindrona in Betsileo, Mr. Shaw says, that 

 although it is a splendid river, " on account of the supersti- 

 tion of the people deterring them from putting a canoe on it, 

 is one of the greatest obstacles to travelling to and from the 

 capital in the wet season. In one itinerating journey the 

 only way of getting the writer's goods across was by balancing 

 them upon the native water-pitcliers, and a man swimming 

 on each side propelling the cranky vessel forward. And 



* Rev. J. Ricliardson, in Antananarivo Annual, No. iii. p. 84. 



